A former girls basketball coach at a St. Charles parish has been charged with possessing child pornography.
Lee Howard Davis, 47, of the 1100 block of Carrington Drive in St. Peters, was charged Monday with possession of child pornography, a class B felony.
Davis coached 5th and 6th grade girls basketball at Sts. Joachim and Ann Catholic School.
The parish released a statement that Davis voluntarily resigned from all coaching and volunteer positions at the parish when the investigation began six months ago.
According to court documents, Davis emailed himself images of child pornography on Oct. 17. AOL reported the incident, and the St. Charles County Sheriff’s Department obtained a search warrant on his home, which they served on Nov. 1.
Officials seized a Dell computer and thumb drive containing 138 child pornography images.
St. Charles County Prosecuting Attorney Tim Lohmar said that there is no evidence that any child has been victimized by Davis, according to an article on stltoday.com.
Davis had no previous criminal record.
The St. Louis Catholic Archdiocese released a statement regarding Davis:
“An investigation of Mr. Davis began approximately six months ago at which point he voluntarily resigned from all coaching and volunteer duties at the parish immediately. Since that time, every reasonable effort has been made to assure Mr. Davis’s presence at school related or athletic activities has involved no time alone with any children other than his own. No parish or school computers were used in any of this alleged activity by Mr. Davis.
“The Archdiocese of St. Louis encourages all persons with reports of misconduct with a minor involving a member of the clergy or other church personnel to contact Deacon Phil Hengen, Director of Child and Youth Protection, at 314.792.7704 or the Missouri Child Abuse and Neglect Hotline at 800.392.3738 or law enforcement officials."
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